On wednesday night I bruised my ribs in dance class (best not to ask how) and now my ribs are sore to touch and when I stretch or sneeze . Running this morning was painful particularly with large breaths on exertion. When I ran slower and using short shallow breaths made the run bearable. So my question is to other runners, what now? Can I just keep on running admittedly at a slower pace? do I need to rest up? What have others done?

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Was ging to ask this same question and in searching for similar found an existing thread, albeit with the question but no answers

In my case I took a bang at bottom of rib cage, left side, at the beach. Been about 10 days now and is still tender there.

Like the OP it hurts when I sneeze, cough, or otherwise exert that bit (stretch it and so on), but the annoying bit is when I run it feels like someone is giving me a jab in the ribs with each step and arm swing, bit like having a stitch really.

All a bit of a pain (haha) really as if I run I can breathe properly, that effects style, etc etc, Vicious cycle and so on.

Not coughing frothy blood or anything scary like that

So - can anyone suggest a rapid healing procedure, or whatever to get back to normal?

I had a similar injury last year. Unfortunately I can only suggest things that you may already know:

(1) Considering seeing a doctor, especially if it has been 10 days

(2) To the best of my knowledge, apart from buying spare ribs on eBay, there is no rapid healing procedure. You just have to give the ribs some time to heal.

(3) If your breathing is not as deep as usual, and/or if you are not coughing, and/or if your coughs are not as complete / deep as usual, then it's not a good sign. Refer to (1) above.

aDrain, on Feb 3 2010, 05:29 PM, said:

BUMP!

Was ging to ask this same question and in searching for similar found an existing thread, albeit with the question but no answers

In my case I took a bang at bottom of rib cage, left side, at the beach. Been about 10 days now and is still tender there.

Like the OP it hurts when I sneeze, cough, or otherwise exert that bit (stretch it and so on), but the annoying bit is when I run it feels like someone is giving me a jab in the ribs with each step and arm swing, bit like having a stitch really.

All a bit of a pain (haha) really as if I run I can breathe properly, that effects style, etc etc, Vicious cycle and so on.

Not coughing frothy blood or anything scary like that

So - can anyone suggest a rapid healing procedure, or whatever to get back to normal?

On wednesday night I bruised my ribs in dance class (best not to ask how) .....

So come on go4it fess up, it's well over 12 months now, did you fall off the table top or was it an accident with the pole ?

I've run slowly for weeks with badly bruised ribs on at least 2 occasions, once post car accident where a car hit me from the side, the other after landing on a granite slab on a trail run with my fist between the granite and my ribs.

Reckon it took almost a month to be able to run downhill again pain free. Just take it easy, try and keep to flat surfaces, perhaps strap if it helps, other than that just give it time.

I've had similar. Hurts like a stitch when you try to use all your lunch capacity. Sudden movements stop you in your tracks. Hard to find a comfortable way to sleep.

Actually the worst was trying to get out of bed. I ended up tying a sheet to the bed end so I could pull myself up.

Some strapping helped with the pain while running. But think of the positive, the pain in your chest will take the focus off pain in other parts of your body (legs, feet, etc).

My theory was that if it didn't feel a little better every few days I would do something about it. I did end up getting a chest xray and it came back clear, and it slowly got better, took about 4-5 weeks.

Medico says I've bruised the rib muscles (although he gave them some latinny name), and that they'll get better but slowly. They are slow to de-bruise as they keep moving, ie with every breath you take.

Some anti inflammitory gel might help a little, but main treatment is be be gentle to em, and be patient.

3. Seek clarification and better advice, from people whose Uncle Joe once had the same symptoms (or met someone whose Auntie Myrtle read in Readers Digest of a miracle cure for the same condition) on CoolRunnings ...

3. Seek clarification and better advice, from people whose Uncle Joe once had the same symptoms (or met someone whose Auntie Myrtle read in Readers Digest of a miracle cure for the same condition) on CoolRunnings ...

My Grandmother was a Myrtle, her magic cure was to tell me to HTFU and get over it.
She'd then do her best yorkeshire accent and come out with "in my day things were so bad we used to run a hundred miles with 4 broken ribs and one leg missing, never hear us complain..."

So come on go4it fess up, it's well over 12 months now, did you fall off the table top or was it an accident with the pole ?

I've run slowly for weeks with badly bruised ribs on at least 2 occasions, once post car accident where a car hit me from the side, the other after landing on a granite slab on a trail run with my fist between the granite and my ribs.

Reckon it took almost a month to be able to run downhill again pain free. Just take it easy, try and keep to flat surfaces, perhaps strap if it helps, other than that just give it time.

Okay I can now admit that I did bruise my ribs at pole dancing class, got all tangled up trying to slide down the pole head first!!! I did actually go and get an x-ray no broken or cracked ribs just bruising. As the others have suggested it did take a while to heal just take things slowly - and in my case stay away from the pole!

Okay I can now admit that I did bruise my ribs at pole dancing class, got all tangled up trying to slide down the pole head first!!! I did actually go and get an x-ray no broken or cracked ribs just bruising. As the others have suggested it did take a while to heal just take things slowly - and in my case stay away from the pole!

Same boat here - had the bike deploy its self-protection system (i.e. me) straight on to Upper Mt Gravatt Road on Australia Day and am gradually improving. Physio has helped a lot - after probing the ribs and not passing out with pain figured they were at worst fractured.

Sucks though - trying to sleep is the worst. I took the hit on the left side and as is the way with these things that's my preferred sleeping side. Nightly ritual - start on right side, doze off. Rotate to left side, sharp pain wakes me. Return to right side. Doze off. Rotate to left side, sharp pain wakes me. Repeat on a 45 minute to 1 hour basis until 5am or you crack the shits, whichever comes first.